Car-coupling



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE..

JOSEPH KORMIL, OE GOLDENDALE, WASHINGTON.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 456,039, dated July 14, 1891.

Application iiled February 26, 189].. Serial No. 382,985. (No model.)

T0 a/ZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOSEPH KORMIL, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Goldendale, in the county of Klikitat and State of Washington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car-Couplings; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description ofthe invention, such as will enable Others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and yto letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification. Y

This invention relates to improvements in car-couplings. y

The obj ect of the invention is to provide an automatic car-coupling of the link-and-pin type with means for holding the couplingpin elevated, so that when the link enters the draw-head the supporting means will be removed from beneath the pin to permit it to fall, the construction of the parts being such that the means employed for holding the pin elevated will' also act as a gravity-support to hold the link in a horizontal position and the device so constructed that the pin can be held elevated by the supporting means whether a link is in the draw-head or not; and the invention consists in the construction and combination of the parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and particularly pointed out in the claim.

In the accompanying drawings, -forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a sectional view showing a link secured in place in one of the draw-heads and a pin supported for coupling in the other draw-head. Fig. 2 is a sectional view showing` the coupling-pin elevated and the link maintained in a horizontal position for uncoupling. Fig. 3 isa plan view of a link such as I employ with my improved coupling.

Prior to my invention it has been proposed to provide an automatic coupling of the linkand-pin variety with a ball for maintaining the coupling-pin in an elevated position, as will be seen by reference to patents issued to Greenleaf and Adams, dated November?, 187 6, and to G. F. Almy, dated September 28, 1886.

Referring to the drawings, A is the drawhead, which is preferably made up of two parts securely bolted to each other, these parts being provided with semicircular aperprovided in the upper and lower walls Vof the draw-head, in which the coupling-pin D plays, the lower end of said pin being slightly concave, so as to better tit upon the ballE contained within the draw-head. The couplingpin has an upper reduced portion d, and to the upper end thereof is secured a cap or nut d', which will prevent said pin falling out of the opening C when lowered.

The draw-head is provided with a central chamber F, which is extended abovethe mouth of the draw-head and rearwardly, as shown, the bottom of said chamber being inclined. This'chamber is of sufficient size to receive one end of the coupling-link G and permit the ball E to rest thereon, the pin resting upon the ball. In other words, this chamber has a vertical depth equal to the diameter of the ball and thickness of the link, and by providing the same the link can be maintained in a horizontal position, as shown in Fig. 2, and the car uncoupld while the link still remains in the draw-head.

When the cars are coupled, the ball will rest upon the end ofthe link G, lying in the concave portion g formed therein, said concave portion being rear of the opening g in the link. In operation, when it is desired to couple cars, it can be accomplished by simply elevat ing the coupling-pin D. The ball will then automatically roll under said pin to permit the pin to rest upon the upper surface thereof. When the linkis inserted in the mouth of the draw-head, the ball will be knocked from under the pin and the cars automatically coupled. y

This method of automatically coupling the cars has been carried out by several styles of couplers that have come to my notice; but I am not aware that the parts have been so constructed that after the link has been passed into the draw-head the ball will rest upon the extended end of the link so as to maintain ICO ing a lfiat inclined oor, together With a link having end portions which extend beyond the apertures therein, and concave portions upon which the ball or pin support will rest .when the pin is in engagement with the openings A in the link, substantially as set forth.

In-testirnony whereof I afx my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

JOSEPH KORMIL. Witnesses:

N. B. BROOKS,

R. E. JACKSON. 

